Monday, April 17, 2006

Sea Turtles Are Spiritual Creatures

Lest you think all the condos, hotels, and speedboats have taken over, a giant leatherback comes ashore to remind us all that South Florida is an episode of "Wild Kingdom" always in progress.

Nature paid Miami Beach a little visit this weekend in the form of a 1,000 pound sea turtle laying her eggs in the sand. It was a glorious site with all varieties of beachgoers (pajama-clad toddlers to sweating morning joggers) gathering around and marveling at the miracle of birth. It was also an opportunity for a nature lesson for all the kids and adults in attendance. Apparently sea turtles lay anywhere from 90-120 eggs at a time. After covering them with sand the mama goes back out to sea leaving the ones to incubate for 90 days. It's so...Darwinian...so Survival of the Fittest. Kind of like Miami herself.Photo courtesy of B. Ahern of M D P & R